Cortez, Arnold touched many lives in their careers

Joe Cortez said Friday night that “every big city needs a Bill Greehey.”

Cortez made the remark at the reception held before the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame Tribute at the Alamodome.

With those words, the longtime former Central Catholic High School basketball coach paid his own tribute to a wealthy businessman who has helped forge major sports projects in the city, including the creation of the dome itself.

Greehey, the chairman of NuStar Energy, smiled when I told him what Cortez had said.

He modestly said he couldn’t have accomplished his goals without help from a lot of other people.

Then he also pointed out how many lives that people like Cortez and Frank Arnold have touched over the years.

It’s true. Arnold, the former coach and athletic director at Judson, said he received a letter of congratulation from a player he had coached in junior high in 1964.

A former player for Central Catholic’s 1959-60 basketball team showed up at the banquet to say how much Cortez meant to him.

That man has been a school teacher in San Antonio for 40 years.

So, here’s one more salute to “Papa Joe” Cortez and Frank Arnold.

Any community, large or small, could stand to have a few more like them.